TIRUCHY: Ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in April, farmers from across Tamil Nadu are set to intensify their agitation against both the ruling DMK and the opposition AIADMK alliances in connection with the major agricultural promises made during the earlier election campaigns to sensitise the common voters.
The farmers in unison pointed out that the DMK, during its 2021 election campaign, had made over 500 poll promises, with several focusing on the farmers' welfare, including an MSP of Rs 2,500 per quintal of paddy and Rs 4,000 per tonne of sugarcane, and 1,000 check dams across the State, once they form government, but nothing has materialised to date.
Similarly, the DMK promised pending dues for sugarcane farmers from the sugar mills, but that too was not fulfilled, with a group of farmers protesting for a long time. “DMK promised to constitute the Agriculture Development Council with the representation of farmers while fixing MSP for the crops, but no action has been taken yet," said PR Pandian, the president of the Coordination Committee of All Farmers Association.
Highlighting that the state government has been supporting corporate firms in crop insurance, he said farmers are made to run from pillar to post for any clarification, resulting in them failing to insure their crops. The introduction of the Tamil Nadu Land Reforms Act has paved the way for transforming the agricultural lands into commercial complexes, he charged. “If any farmer opposes it, cases are filed against them, which is undemocratic," Pandian claimed.
"Our support is only for the political alliance that agrees to fulfil all 38 demands formulated by the Coordination Committee of All Farmers' Associations of Tamil Nadu," he said.
Meanwhile, the farmers also charged that the AIADMK government, headed by the Leader of Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami, also failed to fulfil several promises. “While former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa firmly opposed the Central government’s Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) scheme, Edappadi K Palaniswami allowed it after assuming office, restricting the free electricity supplied to farmers," said Swaminathan, the secretary of Cauvery Farmers Protection Association. The farmers are eager to sensitise the electorate about the failed promises of the DMK and the AIADMK alliance.